Aba’s Sister Mediterranean Restaurant Ēma to Open in Domain NORTHSIDE

The Chicago-based hospitality group behind Aba on South Congress Avenue, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, plans to open Ēma, a Mediterranean restaurant, at Domain NORTHSIDE in the fall of 2025. The new restaurant, located at 3120 Palm Way, Suite 170, will be the group’s second Austin location and Ēma’s first in Texas.

Ēma, which translates to “mother” in Hebrew, will offer a mezze-style menu featuring Mediterranean small plates, designed for sharing. The restaurant will serve weekday lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The 5,000-square-foot space will include indoor and outdoor dining areas and a bar, aiming to create an ambiance inspired by the Mediterranean.

Chef CJ Jacobson brings Mediterranean expertise to Ēma Austin

Chef CJ Jacobson, a “Top Chef” alum and Chef Partner at Ēma and Aba, will oversee the menu. Jacobson’s cooking emphasizes hyper-seasonal ingredients and a lighter, vegetable-focused approach, influenced by his California upbringing and global culinary experiences. A former professional volleyball player, Jacobson transitioned to cooking after attending the Le Cordon Bleu-affiliated College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. Since then, he has worked with renowned chefs, competed in two seasons of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and won “Top Chef Duels” in 2014.

“We are thrilled to bring Ēma’s lighter style of cooking to Texas,” said Marc Jacobs, Lettuce Entertain You’s executive partner and divisional president. “We are grateful to be a part of Austin’s growing dining scene, and we look forward to expanding into Domain NORTHSIDE and the surrounding neighborhood.”

The Austin location follows Ēma’s flagship restaurant, which opened in Chicago’s River North neighborhood in 2016, and its second location in Glenview, Illinois, in 2024. For more information, visit their website. 

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